Automobile no-roll-back brake



July 27,1937. c. A. MATSON AU'EMOBILE NO-ROLL-BACK BRAKE Filed Sept. 18,1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 m& wow

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3 Sheets-Sheet 5 w LT m eon how 8. m mi s 3 m g 3 s d i \w m. F Wm MNswa N @QN QNN ON Patented July 2 7, 1937 AUTOMOBILE NG-ROLL-BACK BRAKE-Carl A. Matson, Swampscott, Mass, assignor of one-half to John 1.5%.Jameson, Concord, N. H.

Application September 18, 1935, Serial No. 41,066

3 Claims.

means My present invention is a novel and improved mechanism of the typeshown in my prior application Ser. No. 744,006, and the object of theinvention is to improve and perfect devices of this type, andparticularly to simplify the construction and insure positive operationat all times.

In my development of automatic devices for the no-roll-back-brake orreverse clutch for automobiles, the said prior application illustratesand claims broadly what I have termed as a clamping ring, or split ringstructure, as an important feature, and in my present application I haveimproved and further developed this type of noroll-back automaticbraking mechanism by simplifying the same, by eliminating one of theringlike members heretofore considered necessary, greatly improving theoperation.

Further important features of the present invention consist in providinginterchangeable and renewable bearing devices, preferably of hardenedsteel or metal alloy whichwill take up the thrust and strain in theoperation of the mechan1sm.

A still further and important feature consists in the provision of aunit which may be all assembled at the factory and thereupon appliedquickly and directly onto existing automobile structures, eliminatingthe prior necessity of assembling practically the entire unit whileapplying it to the vehicle necessitating, in effect, a building of theunit into the automobile to which it may be applied.

A further novel, improved and important feature of the presentinvention, is the provision of means which will operate directly inc0nnection with the original and standard types of shifting levers, orshifting rails, to shift gear transmission mechanism in commercialautomobiles of usual types. Heretofore various changes were necessary inthe original structure, such as for example, removing one or more of theshifting rails and substituting different and longer ones, speciallyformed to cooperate with the braking devices of the unit to be attached.In. one form of my present improved unit, I do not remove or change theshifting rail to make itcooperate with the unit, but utilize theoriginal element, and cause the unit to operate on release by the normalactuation of one of the original shifting levers or rails. This greatlysimplifies and shortens the time, work, labor and skill required inapplying my improved unit to an automobile, and is of considerableimportance.

Particularly is this important after the car has been assembled, and thefloor boards, mats, upholstery, chairs, foot pedals, and transmissioncover are in place. None of these have to be my improved unit isapplied, and the time and work involved is a fraction of that formerlynecessary, and enables my unit to be installed at a minimum of expense.

Referring to the drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of mypresent invention,

Fig. l is a side view partly in cross-section on the line ll of Fig. 2,illustrating my improved unit attached to an automotive drivingmechanism;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side view on a reduced scale of the unit, transmissioncasing, and attaching means to the brake rod;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional View corresponding to that shown in Fig. 2with the mechanism in inoperative position;

Fig. 6 is a detailed perspective View illustrating the renewablehardened steel bearing members which cooperate with the cramping key,and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary View illustrating the hardened steel bearingmembers in operative position.

Figs. 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 illustrate a modification.

As shown in the drawings, I have designated generally a standard type ofautomotive vehicle transmission casing at l, in which a driving shaft 2is rotated at variable speeds depending upon the transmission gears inoperative mesh, as desired from time to time by the driver.

My present unit is completely assembled, adjusted, and enclosed, and canbe secured directly to the automobile without disassembling or removingthe casing enclosing the mechanism.

Also, in carrying out this enclosed unit struc ture I have providedmeans which will enable quick attachment to be made to the reverse rodoperating the transmission mechanism and to the brake pedal securingoperation connection with the latter to the unit at any convenient andreadily accessible portion.

I consider the elimination of one of the rings or members heretoforeconsidered necessary in this type of product and the enclosed unitstructure, as Well as the attaching mechanism, of great importance,permitting my present unit to be insteel bearing members, which arereadily renewable, to the cast iron portion of the mechanism forwithstanding sudden blows, thrusts, and strains incident to theoperation of the mechanism.

The shaft 2 operates through the usual ballbearings 3 fitted in araceway in the end plate or portion 4 of the transmission casing, towhich plate 4 my unit is secured by a series or set of bolts 5-5 and 6.The bolts 55 are threaded thru appropriate ears or lugs 8& formed on theframe of the unit which I have designated at It, while the bolt 6 passesentirely thru my unit from the rearmost side also holding the cover l lin position, and thus secures the complete assembled unit with myimproved mechanism contained therein directly to the plate 4 of thetransmission of the vehicle.

In assembling my present unit, the speedometer casing is first removedbetween the transmission casing I and the driving portion of theuniversal joint, which is coupled to the propeller shaft [5 and in thespace thus provided my complete assembled unit is fitted, firstsubstituting a pointed extension rod to the reverse rod operating thetransmission gearing in the casing I. This extension is to render theno-roll-back brake inoperative when the reverse lever is thrust intoposition to back the car, as will be further explained.

Thereupon the complete unit it? with the covering plate H is applied,and the bolts 55 and 6 positioned in alignment with the usual threetapped recesses in the plate l, to which the original speedometer casingis secured, are fitted and thereafter the operating rod attached to thebrake rod, as shown in Fig. 3, the universal joint coupled, and themechanism completed.

My present improved structure will now be described.

The shaft 2 is splined, as shown in Fig. 1, and receives the gear 22fitted into the splined portion substantially in position, as shown inFig. 1, to drive the speedometer shaft 23, which is led through a properbearing 25 in the casing H], see Fig. 3, from the end of which shaft isthe usual worm shaft (not shown).

Also fitted on the splined portion of the shaft 2 is a driving flange 25in constant rotation with the shaft 2 and adapted to cooperate with theclutch members when the vehicle starts reverse rotation, as will beexplained. Fitted further on the splined portion of the shaft 2 is thedriving member 35) bolted to the portion l5 of the universal joint bybolts 3l-3l in the usual spaced relation; and these members are held inassembled position tightly on the splined portion of the shaft 2 by athreaded bolt 33, also as clearly illustrated in Fig. l. The portion itof the unit has an extending flange 35 on which the face plate ll isattached by a series of bolts 35-26; and a flexible Washer 37 held by aplate 38 encircling the driving member provides an oiltight seal withinthe unit.

Contained within my unit and fitted to the plate 25 is a rotating ring40, having a plurality of interlock dovetailed extensions M fitted thrucor responding recesses in the plate 25, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, andtherefore rotating with said plate 25 and shaft 2. This ring 4a]preferably has a bearing contact with a shouldered portion 5s formed inthe flange and partially supporting and encircling the ring 49.

The ring 40 is preferably made of hardened steel, and adapted to fitwithin the inner circumference of the ring 49. I provide my clampingring of cast iron with a series of fluted portions in the periphery, asindicated at 56, giving a small bearing surface 5'! between the adjacentfluted portion 56, and being provided with a pair of overhanging lugs52-59 which engage the top rim of the ring 453, and all held inassembled position by the face plate II.

The cramping ring 55 is split or formed with spaced abutting ends, asbest shown in Figs. 2 and 5, each being formed with an L-shaped recessto receive hardened steel removable contact members, shown in enlargeddetail in Fig. 6. At the end illustrated at the left, in Figs. 2 and 5,viz., at 80, is fitted the bevelled L--shaped members 6i; and at theright, viewed in Figs. 2 and 5, at 83 is the hardened steel contactmember 64 adapted to fit either side of the cramping key E5. The member6! has one face bevelled as shown at 62, in order to facilitate thecramping action of the key 65 when the same is engaged by a dog 6%through contact with the notch 61 thereon when the mechanism is in theposition shown in Fig. 2 and the shaft 2 starts reverse rotation. Thedog 66 is pivoted on a stud 58 and normally is held in position toengage the key 55, shown in Fig. 1, by a locking pawl 10, having a toothH adapted to fit and lock over a shoulder 12 on the upper surface of thedog 65, the pawl l0 encircling a sleeve bearing 12A thru which the bolt6 passes, and a coiled spring M encircling the hub of the pawl 19 andengaging between a bearing on the inside of the flange 35, as shown at55, and with the other end clamped around an extension 15 of the pawl 15normally holding the dog "ii in looking position.

When the reverse lever IT is operated to shift the transmission in thecasing l or for moving the vehicle backward, the extension 20, which hasbeen previously fitted thereto, as above explained and provided with apivoted point 2i, moves against the arm 75, see Figs. 2 and 5, liftingit, and thus removing the dogs 66 from locking engagement with the key55, permitting the locking ring 55 to be free from the ring 65 andpermitting the gear to be backed freely.

In order to insure the repositioning of the locking pawl TE] and rod 65against the key 65 for instantly cramping the key and expanding thelocking member 55 against the ring 40 under normal conditions of use, Iprovide a positive,

means for returning the mechanism into operative position, althoughafter the vehicle has been shifted into any forward speed and run for ashort time, the unit will itself assume the locking position of Fig. 2,ready for instant use as a brake against any reversing of the ring 2.This is caused automatically by the tension of the spring 74, thru thepawl 15 upon the dog 56 and to the device to the opposite side of thering.

However, for the purpose of instantly restoring the mechanism from thefree position shown in Fig. 5 to a position ready for locking operation,as shown in Fig. 2, I provide a lever pivoted at 3! to a stud on theframe Ill, having one arm 82 hearing against the part 25 of the casingl0, and with the other end 34 fitted to receive a stud 85 connectingthe: lever 89 with the ring 55. An open recess 86 is adapted to receivea stud 81 secured on a shaft 88 extending thru a bracket 85 and attachedto an arm 96 adapted to be secured to the rearwardly extending brake rod9| operated by the foot brake 92- of the vehicle.

To complete the connection between the lever and the brake 92, I providea hub 93 through which a shaft 94 passes, having at its opposite end aflexible bearing 95, with a threaded screw 95 passing thru acorrespondingly threaded block 91, which block is a part of the clamp 58adapted to engage and be secured to the brake rod 5! by clamping screws99-99 in any convenient and adjusted position.

Encircling the shaft 54 is a coil spring Illt bearing between the block95 and a washer i533, while I provide the lever 95 with a shortextension N35, to which a spring we is attached, having the other endsecured at it? to the casing I.

With the construction just described, a slight touch on the brake pedal92 will move the lever 95 and consequently rock the lever as, moving theentire ring 55 to the left, viewed in Figs. 2 and 5, until the notch 57on the dog 55 will snap in behind the key 55, being impelled to thisposition by the spring l t, the reverse rod 28 meanwhile having beenremoved when the transmission has been shifted to any of the forwardspeeds.

C'onsequentlmthe mechanism will be in ready position, as shown in Fig.2, until and unless the reverse lever is again operated to lift thelocking pawl Hi and the dog 65. A slightly bevelled portion 65 in thekey 55 facilitates the rocking of the key, and gives additional leverageto the holdingdog above the width of the ring 55, as best shown in Fig.'7.

With my unit simplified as above described, with an extremely compactform, eliminating all extra parts, and particularly the extra ring of mysaid prior application 744,005, I have provided an eflicient andoperative construction which can all be assembled, slushed withlubricant, within the part It, flange 35, and plate ii, and thereuponattached directly to the part 5 of the transmission casing by the bolts55 and 5.

Both the rails extend slightly into the unit but only the reverse leverrail 25 is utilized in my present form to operate the unit, and anysudden catching or locking of the clutch, should the pedal be pressed,is prevented thru the yielding of the spring 94. The Wearing members orshoes 6| or 64 are readily renewed and replaced by simply removing theface plate H, and undue wear on the cast iron clamping member 55 is thuseliminated.

With the provision of an adjustable attachment on the brake member atany convenient place, and by simply securing the three bolts 55 and 5,the entire unit is fitted in place at a minimum of time, labor, expense,and skill and at a fraction of the time formerly required to build in tothe automobile an entire no-roll-back brake construction.

These features are of considerable importance and of great advantage,and I wish to claim the same herein broadly.

It will also be appreciated that while I prefer to form the member 55 ofcast iron and the ring 40 of steel, these may be reversed and the member55 may be of steel and the ring 40 of cast iron in order to get thebenefit of the frictional engagement between these metals.

In the modification shown in Figs. 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12, I haveeliminated entirely the necessity of removing one of the shifting railsto replace same with a longer element 25 with its conical end 2! tooperate the arm E5 of the pawl It for release and backing. In this formI have utilized the original shifting lever or rail, designated at I00,with its square or blunt end IllI to contact with a stud I02 of a leverI05 which is in place of the pawl IQ of the former construction. Thelever I05 is adapted to rock upon a pair of trunnions I06, I06, whichare mounted to slide into the base of a groove in a member III) which isbored to fit over or to receive the shaft of the bolt 6. I'his pawl I05has one arm I I2 extending toward one side of the pivot trunnions,substantially as shown, to which one end of a contractile spring H5 isattached, with its opposite end secured to a screw I I6 threaded intothe unit casing I and adjustable for tension, if desired. The pawl I hasa second arm I25 adapted to lock or unlock the dog I25, whichcorresponds to 65 in the former construction, and is also mounted on thepivot 68. Recesses I35 and I3l 'are formed in the back of the unit topermit normal movement of the transmission shifting rails, particularlythat as shown by 25 or Illil for operating the release of the dog 56 orI25 as above explained.

In the modification employing levers I05 and I25, the unit is normallyin position as shown in Fig. 11 with the dog I25 holding the key 65 inposition to lock automatically and hold the propeller shaft 2 againstreverse rotation. Upon shifting the gear transmission lever for reversedriving position, the rail I50 with its end IIII normally extendingthrough the opening I30 slightly into the unit, contacts with the studI52 of the pawl I05 rocking it as shown in Fig. 10, releasing the dogI25 and freeing the unit from any clamping action. The operation is thesame in effect as the first described construction, only in this form,the pawl is rocked on the trunnions to release the dog I25 instead ofthe first described construction where the pawl I0 is rocked on the bolt5 to release the dog 65.

I claim:

1. In a device of the kind described, means to be secured to therotating drive shaft of an automotive vehicle, means automaticallyengaging said shaft to prevent reverse rotation, comprising anexpansible member and an operating key, renewable bearing members uponwhich said key acts, and means to hold said key in operative position,in combination with means to release said key thru movement of a reverselever rod.

2. In a device of the kind described, means to be secured to therotating drive shaft of an automotive vehicle, means automaticallyengaging said shaft to prevent reverse rotation, comprising anexpansible member and an operating key, renewable bearing members uponwhich said key acts, means to hold said key in operative position, incombination with means to release said key thru movement of a reverselever rod, and means to reset the operative mechanism by a yieldingconnection with the brake pedal of the vehicle.

3. In a device of the kind described, in combination with thetransmission shifting rods of an automobile, of a unit containingautomatic noroll-back mechanism, comprising a pivoted pawl and a lockingdog normally in engagement to render said no-roll-back mechanism inoperative position, said pawl having a portion in the line of movementof one of the shifting levers, and adapted to be moved by a directpushing of said rod to release the engagement of said pawl and dog.

CARL A. MATSON.

